I decided to write about my passion for gardening past, present and future.
I have been ill suffering with Lyme Disease since May 2003 but at last after long term antibiotic treatment getting my life back and can again enjoy my garden.

Monday, 18 April 2016

THE HARD WORK OF GARDENING - BEFORE THE REWARDS

The start of my gardening year has not been easy.

This area was over run with wild garlic which although rather a nice plant in a small clump, it does rapidly take over.

Fortunately because I like potting up plants, dividing and taking cuttings, I had a number of primroses to fill the gaps.

The compost heap ugh! what a hard job that was digging out and spreading on some of the vegetable beds and roses. This is usually Mike's job, as is the vegetable growing but as he is just getting over an operation it has been all down to me.

Finished with last years compost turned and ready for courgettes later.

This little bed of mainly hostas was weeded not many weeks back but already could do with another weed but will have to take it's turn as I am far from having weeded much of the garden even once.

Onions just beginning to shoot.

What are those bamboo canes for you might ask?

It's to keep all the cats in the neighbourhood from soiling my vegetables and it works well and deters the pigeons too.

Broad beans which were started in pots in the greenhouse and transferred out a few days ago.

Hmm growing plastic sheets! well no but they work well to protect the seedlings from late frosts and torrential rain. We have a problem with mice at present hence the box but nevertheless I seem to have had little success with the peas and will need to re sew.

Note the clean paths between the box another job well done.

The last three days I have been busy digging out ground elder - the bain of my life.

As you can see it has taken over in all these box boxes smothering the geranium which I think is Marginata.

These boxes of box used to be full of daffodils but very few remain and I am not sure why. This year has been a disaster for daffodils in my garden, maybe the dry winter didn't help.

The box were all grown from cuttings some years ago.

Over the years I have realised that most things grow towards the sun and ground elder is no exception.

This bed was full of ground elder and although there are a few bits in there among the weeds it has mostly crept under the path and into the above boxes. So one of my next tasks in hand is to clear the weeds out of this bed.

These beds across the other side of the garden a bit more shaded have had some tidying up but need finishing. As you can see there are plenty of daffodil leaves here but there were not many flowers.

Obsessed with plastic! you might say. but these old water bottles and the odd lamp shade make great cloches for my delphiniums. They have been slow growing to start this year and this bed has been weeded twice already - unusual for me with so many more waiting to be weeded but once the delphiniums grow it isn't so easy to weed without damaging them.

A shady border waiting attention but not too bad.

I am making a conscious effort this year to reduce garden jobs, hah! it doesn't feel like it. But I am trying not to propagate for the fun of it as it can be so time consuming, it is fairly easy going standing at a bench but it doesn't exactly get the garden weeded and it's extra work planting out and watering.

I over winter my agapanthus and lilies in the green house and these two Jacaranda trees which seem to have survived the winter in a cold greenhouse although we have had an exceptionally mild winter this year.

The sweet peas are one of my few things I am growing from seed - the mice have already been in the greenhouse and eaten some of them but I think I have stopped that now.

Pots with runner and climbing beans, hope they germinate ok. The buckets have leeks growing in them.

Just a few bits and bobs plus a number of baby box in the cold frames for my daughter's garden.

Don't you love Amelanchier it really is one of my favourite small trees/bushes, I have to remind myself to look up and enjoy it.

This is usually what I would be doing this time of year. One of my first jobs would have been weeding either side of this path and the box boxes either side, unfortunately I have had more pressing jobs but will get to this soon I hope.

When the work seems overpowering I remind myself of what it will be like in a few months time

"Not bad for someone dealing with Lyme Disease or Lyme Arthritis, who could barely walk a few years ago."

Not bad at all. Very GOOD, in fact! Even with its current lower level of maintenance, I still find your garden very appealing. Granted, it's trying hard to run wild on you. But the planting choices you've made over the years and the structures you've added are maintaining a Secret Garden type of charm that weeds can't destroy. Your garden is like the lined face of a very sweet old woman--full of peace and good character and timeless beauty. Don't be discouraged!

Hi Brenda what thoughtful words and yes I do rather ignore much of the unkemptness when my Roses and clematis are at their best. One neighbour passing the front of the house comment to his walking companion that my garden was unkempt although at the time it was full of colour and abundance of roses. Some time later in the day my husband who had overheard his remark passed him in the field while mike was out walking the dog. Recognising him/them Mike engaged in a conversation and referred to the unkempt remark in a jocular fashion, Mike said if you think the front garden is unkempt you should see the back but you would need to bring a packed lunch and machete to get around.

Always nice to see new pics from your lovely garden! It may not be the end of the world if a border here or there are not weeded eh?! And I pray your husband shall be well soon and yourself keep in good shape!God blessAnn-sofie Kassberg

LYME LIFE written 2009

I started suffering with arthritis in mainly my large joints especially my knees 6 years ago. The symptoms varied and I remember saying that every joint was affected except my elbows to one doctor. I was told it would be hormonal and to take the usual supplements cod liver oil or glucosamine ( I would certainly recommend buying shares in the companies producing these supplements) They had no noticeable affect.

All my symptoms deteriorated significantly over a few weeks, 4 years ago. Hips shoulders and knees being the worst and I started with muscle weakness in upper arms and upper legs. I had difficulty standing and walking across a room. I was unable to walk upstairs and my husband was making plans to convert to a downstairs bedroom. I had seen 5 doctors and 3 Rheumatologists and put on steroids for Poly Myalgia Rheumatica diagnosis. I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS.

I have X rays and scans showing signs of osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. I have been retired early from the Civil Service having lost my job not to mention my earning potential.

My illness seemed to progress through my body not affecting the same joints left to right at the same time. I had bursitis in left hip, right hip, left elbow. I had synovial thickening in both wrists. At that time I could not lift and hold a magazine so lifting a kettle I could only do if a third full and with two hands. Each joint in my hands fingers feet and toes were affected. I had swallowing difficulties and many other symptoms. None of this describes the endless and awful pain whenever I moved or the tiredness but inability to get quality sleep.

Two years ago my GP gave me Amoxicilin for a sinus/throat/chest infection. All my arthritis symptoms improved. The course ended the symptoms deteriorated I started a second course the symptoms improved. The improvement was more significant than when I had started taking steroids. This led my GP to suspect Lyme Disease. I laughed because we do not travel abroad but she said they had had other cases in the surgery in the early stages of tick bite and Erythma Migrans rash. She said, but you have not had a bite. I said oh yes I have I had two on my ankles with rashes, March 05 this was confirmed on her computer at the time I had seen a locum doctor. My worst symptoms were waking up feeling rigid and having to painfully flex every joint in my body before struggling to get up. The only other time I had experienced this was in May 2003 during a flu like illness like no other I had ever experienced. At that time I had a bite and similar rash on my right foot which lasted like the other rashes about four weeks. I had also consulted the surgery and it was dismissed as a virus. I walked our dog daily in the woods adjacent to our house where the deer roam, prime tick area.

Thus started my very lengthy search about Lyme Disease leading me through http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ to a doctor who specialises in this illness. He confirmed my GP's suspicions. I never had a positive blood test but then they are antigen tests and there is much research that shows they are unreliable. In my case the year of steroids and many weeks antibiotics could have affected the results. So with a clinical diagnosis and following ILADS International Lyme and Associated Disease Society guidelines I continued on antibiotics for two years. Both my doctors continued to treat me despite the Health Protection Agency advising against long term antibiotics. I am now nearly 100% recovered I have no pain or muscle weakness. I can walk upstairs something I could not do for three and a half years. I can garden do house work and live a normal life. I still need to pace myself and with only a few months to 60 will not be looking to return to work.

Life is such a joy.

Sadly there is much controversy about Lyme Disease and doctors in UK are taught that it is so rare. Well where I live in Guildford I have been in contact with a dozen other people with it so perhaps not so rare as HPA would like us to believe. I am in touch with nearly 2000 other patients through a chat line Eurolyme most had been misdiagnosed with several other illnesses.

Look at UK charity http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ if you want to read more about this illness. There are many MP's taking an interest in the problems surrounding diagnosis and treatment see above charity links into a recent meeting at the House of Commons.

Thank goodness there are some thinking doctors around who have courageously treated me against opposition and I have made such a miraculous recovery albeit rather a lengthy one.

One day there will be many more people who are helped with their chronic illnesses when IDSA starts taking note of what our courageous LLMD’s are doing following ILADS Guidelines.